Discuss below (remember to add your name):
  • five domains that are critical to effective classroom instruction and whether or not they should have specific performance indicators or statements
CIndy:
  1. Classroom Environment
    1. Teacher enjoys teaching, is enthusiastic; has appropriate rule/expectations; mutual respect; sensitve to individual needs; respects diversity/equity; uses a variety of assessments; provides safe enrivonment
  2. Lesson Plan
    1. Teacher has content knowledge, student knowledge, leavels of learning, variety of resources, lessons with ligical sequenc
  3. Lesson Delivery
    1. student participate & demonstrate understanding
    2. teacher has variety of instructional methods, gives students feedback
  4. Communication
    1. Positive relationships, contributes to school community
  5. Professionalism
    1. Tends to the "business" of teaching (record keeping, confidentiality)
    2. Grows professionally

Allyson: I'm not sure why we're using 5 domains... The reading suggested uses 4 as does Baltimore City. Huron also seems to use similar domains. Though I like Cindy's domains here are the Baltimore ones:
· Domain One: Planning and Preparation - this should include lesson planning,
· Domain Two: The Learning Environment
· Domain Three: Instruction/Instructional Support
· Domain Four: Professional Responsibilities
These domains all need to be broken down into specific performance indicators as they're too broad without them.

Adrienne: I agree with Allyson as it is emphasized in the readings.

I'm going to agree with Danielson's four domains, but I think he's missing a rather critical one. If we're really focusing on classroom instruction, then I don't know how we can omit "Student Learning" from the discussion. The four domains listed by Danielson are all solid, but none of them matter if students aren't learning. We've all probably seen the comic that shows a boy telling his friend he taught his dog how to speak French. The friend asks the dog to speak to him in French, but the original boy says, "I told you I taught him, I didn't say he learned it." Teachers can teach the best lesson in the world, but that does nothing to ensure students are learning it if the focus is on the teaching.
-Ben